Ice nucleus

Okay kiddo, have you ever put some water in a tray in the freezer and then the next day there was ice cubes in it? Well, the process of the water turning into ice starts with something called an ice nucleus!

An ice nucleus is a tiny piece of solid material that helps water freeze. Just like how you need a stick or a rock to start building a sandcastle, water needs an ice nucleus to begin forming into ice. These little particles can be things like dust, salt, or even bacteria!

Once those little particles are floating around in the water, they provide a surface for the water molecules to stick to. As more and more water molecules stick to the ice nucleus, the water starts to freeze and turn into ice!

So, next time you see ice cubes in your drink, just remember that it all started with a tiny ice nucleus helping the water turn into ice!